The BEST Tomato Soup, Three Cheese and Bacon Grilled Sammies, and Some Love

Hello, Fun Food Folks! From mac and cheese to prime rib roast, from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to Christmas brunch, what you feed your loved ones should be something you love to prepare and are proud to serve. At least this is what I believe. Look, fancy schmancy food is great if you can afford it and if you have time for it.  But does that stuff make you happy? Will your daughters, granddaughters, and nieces and nephews compete with each other over who has duplicated your most loved and craved recipes when you have become a cherished memory?
Be happy. Eat Happy. Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches are a feast when you are happy and thankful. Quite frankly, I would rather have that than so-called haute cuisine!

So let's not blabber on and get to the first "fixer-upper" recipe:

I  hate canned tomato soup as is, right out of the can, with added water. Talk about ho-hum and unappetizing! This inexpensive can of soup can become something spectacular with a little "fixin' up".

Creamy Tomato Soup

1 can tomato soup
12 oz V8 vegetable juice or generic equivalent
12 oz milk (use half and half for creamier soup
salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk whisk whisk to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like a lot of pepper in my soups. Serve hot in mugs with crackers or grilled cheese sammies for dippin':

Grilled Three Cheese Bacon Sandwiches

Butter for schmearin'
Sliced sourdough or rye bread, or other artisan bread
Cream cheese or Laughing Cow creamy Swiss wedge
Mozzarella cheese slices or shreds
Cheddar cheese slice or shreds
Bacon slices (pre cooked or even bacon bits will do nicely)
* Any combination of three cheeses works great, as long as one of the cheeses is soft and spreadable. How about pimento cheese or a port wine cheese log? Maybe ricotta?*

Schmear butter onto the outsides of two slices of your bread. Schmear your soft white cheese on the other side of one slice, place it butter side down on a griddle preheated on medium heat setting. Stack your other two cheeses on top and then your bacon bits/strips. Top with your other buttered slice, butter side up. Press the sandwich down with your spatula while it grills or use a brick wrapped in foil (sort of like you are making a panini) as a weight. Grill about 3-5 minutes. Flip. Repeat with pressure till other side is toasted. ENJOY!

You could even add mushrooms in place of the bacon. Or do both. Bacon. Cheese. Mushrooms. This fat girl is getting hungry!

Y'all come on back for more nommiliciousness!